Meet an Austrian age-grouper putting an IRONMAN 70.3 to good use for her debut IRONMAN.

by William Elmore

Having a sole IRONMAN event on your calendar for the year may seem like a smart move if you don't want to burn out. But scheduling 'B' races before or on either side of your major goal for the season will bring plenty of benefits, allowing you to gauge your fitness, road test your race gear, and hone your nutrition strategy for the big day.

"If you have the opportunity to do a race that simulates the climate and terrain of your A race, that can be a great advantage," says IRONMAN U Master Coach Lance Watson. "If an IRONMAN is your A race, your B race(s) should be shorter, and an IRONMAN 70.3 is a great test run."

That's exactly what 40-year-old Angelika Schobesberger, from Bregenz, Austria, is planning to do this year. Her choice to do the Alps leg of this year's IRONMAN Tour Series means she can reap the rewards of racing an IRONMAN 70.3 at a well-timed distance before its full-distance "sibling."

"I saw the IRONMAN Alps Tour on Facebook and I knew that this should be my series for 2017," she said. "I wanted to have a key test before my debut IRONMAN in Klagenfurt and IRONMAN 70.3 Switzerland is a good one because it's a tough race. Because of the difficult 90km cycling leg, it’ll be interesting to see if I’m able to hold my normal pace in running and push until the finish line. Then I’ll use my foam roller and prepare for Austria!"

Having started triathlon in 2012 with local short-course races, Schobesberger moved to IRONMAN 70.3 races in 2014 and is trying to stay positive ahead of her 226 km debut at one of IRONMAN’s most historic events. And she has even loftier IRONMAN goals set for the future.

"First I was scared of long-distance races, but I knew that if I wanted to realize my big dream—qualifying for the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii—then I have to work on it. After my good race at 2016’s IRONMAN 70.3 Gdynia (where she finished in the top 10 of the F35-39 age-group) the fear turned into respect. And now, since I’m training a lot and working hard for it, I can't wait for the time to perform."

In her bid for the IRONMAN Holy Grail of a Kona spot, Angelika will be following the methods of Hawaii legends, Natascha Badmann and Chrissie Wellington, and aiming to race with a smile on the IRONMAN race course.

"My husband says that I'm a triathlete who smiles all the time. That’s proof that I really have fun doing triathlon: I enjoy every minute of having the possibility to be healthy and doing sports," she says. She adds that she has her eye on a sub-12-hour target in mind for Austria, but knows that depends on other circumstances she can't sway, such as the weather, nutrition, or technical problems.

"I won't be angry if I don’t make it. I'm there to learn, after all," she says.